'Made in NY' Media Center by IFP Prepares for October Opening

Nearly a year after New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg first announced the "Made in NY" Media Center by IFP, the Brooklyn-based center is prepping for launch and has announced two hires: Artist Brent Hoff will serve as the "Made in NY" Media Center by IFP's Director of Programming and Andrea Baker will serve as Managing Director of Operations & Administration.

Nearly a year after New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
first announced the "Made in NY" Media Center by IFP, the Brooklyn-based center
is prepping for launch and has announced two hires: Artist Brent Hoff will
serve as the "Made in NY" Media Center by IFP's Director of Programming and Andrea Baker will serve as Managing Director of
Operations & Administration.

The Center, which is
slated to open in October, will focus on media content creation across the
entertainment and technology sectors. The 20,000 square foot space will provide co-working
spaces, classes and events, and resources for creators working in various
disciplines-- film, video, gaming, and technology.

"The IFP is turning 35 after Film Week. We're growing up,"
said Joana Vincente, executive director of the Independent Feature Project
(IFP) and "Made in NY" Media Center by IFP. "Traditionally, we have been about
supporting independent film and independent stories, but if you go to the root
of what we do, we really curate and support storytelling."

With the Media Center, Vincente said the indie film organization will
expand to include "storytelling in any medium – whether it's an app or a game
or a web series. We’ll help to connect storytellers to resources and,
ultimately, help them to connect with audiences."

The space is still a work-in-progress and Vicente said they are still formalizing partnerships with other organizations, preparing the educating program, and getting ready to send out calls for membership. They are putting together a list of artists in residence and experts in residence.

"The idea is to bring together art and business," said Vincente. Filmmakers, for instance, might connect with other types of storytelling -- including branded content content. "Some filmmakers will want to play with storytelling across multiple platforms -- where a story is not just a finite product that starts and ends with a film. I hope that a lot of brilliant filmmakers will feel that there's a place for them here."

Hoff is a writer, filmmaker, and co-founder of Wholphin DVD. His feature script El
Diablo Rojo was awarded a
Tribeca Sloan grant as well as the 2011 FIND film grant. In 2012, Filmmaker
Magazine named him as one of "25 New Faces of independent Film." He
is currently filming the world’s first documentary shot and directed entirely
by robots.

Andrea Baker
has facilitated projects for a diverse group of creative and technical
firms including Bridgewater Associates, World Wrestling Entertainment and
NEW (Non-Traditional Employment for Women). She has also worked as Senior Project
Manager for Bloomberg L.P. and Vice President of Lorne Michaels' post
production company, Broadway Video.

You can find out more about the "Made in NY" Media Center by IFP here.